'Proposal Concierge' Firm Helps New Yorkers Pop the Question

NEW YORK CITY — Engaged couples already rely on a host of professional assistants to groom, sculpt and photograph them and prepare their venue for the perfect day.

Now a new "proposal concierge" firm is helping would-be brides and grooms pop the perfect question.

"When anybody gets engaged the first question is 'How did you get engaged?' and 'How did it happen?'" said Kym Pitlor, who founded Blueprint Proposals with Erin Mavian in July. Pitlor said they were "shocked" to discover that an existing concierge service didn't already exist.

Blueprint Proposals offers a free consultation followed by two fail-proof proposal plans for prices ranging from $250 for the basic package to $1,000, which would involve Mavian and Pitlor's full participation.

The proposals they devise can range from luxurious — like a helicopter ride over New York City, which Mavian said goes for about $7,500 for five minutes — to less over-the-top and more personalized plans, like a scavenger hunt that takes a couple down memory lane.

Some people want help finding 200 roses in a special color. Some want to close down an entire restaurant to cook their beloved her favorite meal, Pitlor said.

The company gets a lot of requests from outsiders who see New York City as a special destination, the women said.

That's where their intimate knowledge of the city comes into action.

"One tip we have is that the Empire State Building isn't the best view. The best view of the city is at the top of [Rockefeller Center]," Mavian said.

The two move through the city's streets with a constant eye towards great proposal spots.

"Our trademark move is where you are able to have a personal, private proposal and you have friends waiting after," said Mavian. "It's an elevated experience."

"It's everyone you would want to call in one room," Pitlor said.

Sometimes those friends and relatives know they're there for an engagement party, and sometimes they're also surprised, she added.

A spot they consider perfect is along the High Line between 20th and 23rd streets. In one direction is the Hudson river, in the other is a rooftop restaurant where friends and family could be assembled.

Although Bryant Park and Central Park are popular proposal places, Mavian said "there's magic happening south of 14th Street." There are many streets that get closed temporarily in Little Italy and Chinatown, leaving room for traffic-free proposals, she said.

DNAinfo is New York's leading neighborhood news source. We deliver up-to-the-minute reports on entertainment, education, politics, crime, sports, and dining. Our award-winning journalists find the stories - big or small - that matter most to New Yorkers.